
r- 7 jC "C^- 



(Dmpnmjrattnoaur 
PartBfy 



By 
EMANUEL C. CHARLTON, PH. D. 




®l?r ©pinion 

y it mi 

ffiraofnro.'nt 






LIBRARY of CONGRESS 
Two Copies Received 

MAR ?,8 1906 

^y Copyright Entry 
(CLASS £t/ XXc.No. 
' COPYbT 




Methodist Meetinghouse, Beaver Meadow, Norwich, Vt. 




3 
O 

be 



S 



s 



INTRODUCTION. 



All now religious movements are sure to arrest attention and 
make history. Methodism, in its early introduction into Ver- 
mont, was no exception to this statement. The appearance of a 
Methodist preacher in any community a hundred years ago, cre- 
ated "no small stir" among the people. Their doctrines of free 
grace, their intense earnestness in their religious exercises, their 
complete self-abandonment, and devotion to the work of soul-sav- 
ing, contributed largely to their success in laying the foundation 
of the Methodist church in the communities they visited. They 
waited for no call from a church, for they had no church to call 
them; they demanded no stated salary for temporal support, for 
they had no people to pledge it, but they went everywhere where 
there was an open door, and preached that men should repent, 
"the Lord working with them, confirming the Word with signs 
following. " 

If all the facts and incidents of this early work could be 
gathered and written up, it would furnish most interesting and 
profitable reading for those who have inherited the fruit of those 
early self-sacrificing labors. "Other men labored, and ye have 
entered into their labors." 

It is much regretted that so little care has been exercised, in 
some cases, to preserve the records of those early days, whereby 
much valuable history has been lost, though something can lie 
gathered from the children of those who wrought in those days, 
when the records are not available. 

Dr. Charlton while occupying the Union Village charge of 
the Vermont conference became interested t<> write up the history 
of the work in that vicinity, and has produced an interesting his- 
torical sketch. He has made diligent search for all available 
church records and traditions, leaving no stone unturned, that 
would furnish the least reliable information concerning the 
Preachers, traveling and local, Stewards, Class Leaders and pri- 
vate members, who contributed in any way to the establishment, 
and the building up of the church in that region; and he has 
woven his findings into an interesting story for the general read- 
er, as well as for those most directly interested. 

We commend the work as an important addition to the his- 
torical record of the Methodist Episcopal church, in Eastern Ver- 
mont. 

A. L. Cooper. 



PREFACE. 

The data for this brief sketch was gathered during my year 
and a half pastorate at Union Village. 

The memories of those days and months are a part of my 
own rich heritage. 

These pages bear witness to my love and respect for the peo- 
ple of this parish. 

With kind wishes for all, I remain 

Yours in Christ-love, 

Emanuel Charlton 
Putney, Vt., November 18th, 1905. 



Errata. — Rev. Zerah Colburn died 18.39. 



®tj? (^mpflmpanonsur Parisfy 



By EMANUEL C. CHARLTON, Ph. D. 



The Prehistoric. 



^f N the beginning, God bnilt the Green Mountains and depos- 
^|J ited within their rocky fastnesses some of earth's choicest 
metalic treasures. Then He clothed them from base to 
summit with a rich luxuriant foliage for summer wear, and gave 
them a suit of stout evergreen for a covering against the cold and 
chilling blasts of winter; so that at whatever season one looks 
upon them they leave an impression upon the mind of the ob- 
server of their majestic grandeur, and yet of a homelike comeli- 
ness and repose. 

The valleys are the legitimate offsprings of the mountains 
and their direct descendants, possessing all their sterling parental 
qualities and virtues. The soil of the valleys and of the plains 
is indespensable to the sustenance of human life. Whether it be 
the rude savage or the educated savant who industriously com- 
mands, it cheerfully responds and yields up its bountiful resources 
of bread and fruit for his physical nourisment. And in recog- 
nition of man's higher nature it spreads at his feet large varieties 
of beautiful fragrant flowers, mute, yet ever faithful witnesses of 
the life beautiful. 

One of the fairest and most fertile of Vermont's many beau- 
tiful valleys is the subject of this sketch; through it flows the 
healing waters of the Ompompanoosuc River, a river which, 
though not having sufficient importance of its own to claim an 
independent right of way to the ocean, or of boasting that it car- 
ries the world's commerce on its bosom, yet has a mission, and for 
untold ages it has flowed tirelessly on in the performance of its 
ministry. 

The headwaters of this river are in the hills of Vershire, near 
the borders of the present town of Tunbridge, where in the early 



4 THE OMPOMPANOOSUC PARISH. 

morning of time, from one fountain twin streams were born. The 
one, like a lusty turbulent youth flowing on in defiance of all ob- 
stacles, carving out for himself an independent course through 
rock-ribbed hills, then rushing madly o'er the ledges, brushing 
aside everv boulder in his path through Strafford and a corner of 
Thetford. " 

The other, equally independent, like a saucy young maiden, 
skipped blithely down the hillsides of Vershire, then halting briefly 
in the meadows of Fairlee, where she either tired and sought a 
temporary resting place, or else she must have conceived the bold 
idea of there forming an independent inland sea, but finding her- 
self too cramped and circumscribed by the surrounding hills, after 
chafing awhile under their restraint, she again broke her bounds 
and with flowing tresses she leaped and bounded like a very fiend 
down the valley into Thetford, where she again espied her noble 
brother. In her surprise and amazement she exclaimed "Urn!" 
He equally embarrassed simply answered "Pompa!" And as 
they embraced both in unison cried out "No such." There they 
vowed never again to separate, and henceforth they have mean- 
dered gently together down the stream of time leaving their bless- 
ings and benedictions on either side of their pathway, until they 
were enticed with all their stores of wealth and power to enter the 
Broadway of the Connecticut, where their identity ceased; but 
their treasures still continue to enrich and to perpetuate the pres- 
tige of that larger river. 

This beautiful valley with its rich table lands and splendid 
hunting grounds was for ages the home of the Red man. On its 
banks he fished for salmon and entrapped the wily beaver. On 
its sloping hillsides and through its primeval forests he chased the 
prey and slew the catamount, the wild bear, the panther and other 
ferocious animals which he regarded as enemies; while the deer, 
the turkey, the goose, and the ducks which happened within range 
of his unerring arrow furnished meat for his family. Amidst its 
towering pines he pitched his camp and built his wigwam. On 
the clearings he made he planted his maize, beans and squashes 
and raised his harvests. Its rock maple yielded him sap which 
he converted into sugar and sweetmeats. Under its tall and stately 
elms the Indian children played and sported as innocently as ours 
do now. There the youthful couples drank their sweet and deli- 
cious draughts of pure and unalloyed love and devotion as they 
plighted their troth each to other and entered upon life's solemn 
duties and responsibilities. In the light of the truth which the 
kind Father had caused to flash across their minds, according to 
the dictates of their conscience and subject to their traditions they 
worshipped the Great Spirit, possibly as acceptably as we do now. 

That a large Indian village once existed on the East side of 



THE OMPOMPANOOSTJC PARISH. 5 

the river, on the table land of the late Geo. W. Benton's farm, 
northeasterly from the present farm house is very evident; only 
one testimony need here be given, that is the stone mill, or mortar, 
discovered there, which is now in the possession of the writer. 

The principal burying ground of this village was on the banks 
of the Connecticut River, on the site now occupied by the Pompa- 
noosuc Depot on the B & M railroad. Various implements of war- 
fare and Indian relics have also been discovered near Mr. R. A. 
Tilden's Lily Pond, indicating either that a battle had sometime 
been fought there, or that it had once been a site of an Indian 
camp. But even the name of the tribe which inhabited this sec- 
tion is not now certainly known, though they are supposed to 
have been connected with the St. Francis Tribe, which was a 
branch of the Olgonquin family. 

The Early Settlers. 

Various expeditions of white men, are known to have passed 
through this section on their passage between Massachusetts and 
Canada before any settlements were made; these usually followed 
the Indian trail along the Connecticut River. 

Nearly a century after the rest of New England had been 
parcelled out and possessed by the whites, Vermont remained 
practically a "No man's Land." During a long series of years 
it served as a bone of contention between the other surrounding 
colonies, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and New York each laid 
claim to the whole or a part thereof. 

On July 4th, 1761, Gov. Wentworth of New Hampshire 
issued a charter of the Town of Norwich , Vermont, to Samuel 
Slafter, Jacob Fenton, Eleazer Wales, Judah Hatch and others. 
And on August 12th of the same year a similar missive to John 
Phelps, John Chamberlain and others for the Town of Thetford. 
John Chamberlain was probably the first settler in Thetford. He 
was nicknamed Quail John. His industry and parsimony has been 
perpetuated in Thomson's Vermont in the following lines: 

"Old Quail John was the first to come on 
As poor as a calf in the spring; 
But now he is rich as Governor Fitch 
And lives like a lord or a king. " 

His son Samuel was the first white child born in Thetford. 

The original settlers of this valley came mainly from Mans- 
field and surrounding towns in Connecticut. They were Puritans 
who from infancy had learned to stem strong currents, they count- 
ed it therefore, no serious hardship to make the journey to their 
new Vermont homes in frail canoes up the swift flowing river, or 
when necessary to shoulder their baggage, canoes and all, while 
passing its rapids. 



6 THE OMPOMPANOOSUC PARISH. 

The first permanent settlement of Norwich was made during 
the summer of 1765. within the bounds of this parish. On a pine 
bluff on the Connecticut, immediately below the mouth of the 
Ompompanoosuc River they first pitched their camp and erected 
a log cabin, then they proceeded to clear the forest preparatory 
to planting their first crops in joyous anticipation of golden har- 
vests, and of happy homes for their loved ones from whom they 
were separated. 

But suddenly, there fell a dark shadow across their pathway 
which came well nigh cliscomfitting them, when on Friday, July 
15, Jacob Fenton, one of that first trio of heroic pioneers who had 
ventured to make a home in these wilds fell asleep and found 
peaceful rest from his long years of toil. The following Sunday 
by the early dawn, Ebenezer Smith and John Slafter, his two 
companions solemnly prepared the earth chamber for their de- 
parted comrade, into which they devoutly lowered his mortal re- 
mains, shrouded in white birch bark, with an outer covering of 
stout brown hemlock which served as a casket; while the birds 
were chirping their morning notes of praise, and the tall pines the 
meanwhile were wdiispering in subdued tones a moaning requiem 
for their own fallen comrades. Mr. Fenton's unmarked sepulchre 
in our midst is a reproach to this recreant generation. 

At a meeting of the Proprietors of the Town of Norwich held 
Sept, 17, 1770, it was voted "That Mr. John Slafter shall have the 
privilege of pitching seven rights in the lower meadow of the Om- 
pompanoosuc River; and also Capt. Hezekiah Johnson to pitch 
six rights and one-half in said meadow on said river, and Mr. 
James Huntington to pitch one right in said meadow, as a consid- 
eration for first coming into the town and for the burden of first 
settling said town being proprietors or purchased. " 

The rights above referred to embraced about two acres and a 
half each. These special grants were evidently made with the 
intention of there establishing a village center, as their larger 
holdings had been drawn by lot and were consequently scattered 
over the township, and were therefore liable to Indian raids, an 
emergency for which these pioneers settlers were compelled to 
make provisions. 

Among the earliest settlers within the bounds of this parish 
were John Hatch, who made the original survey of the town, 
Elijah Belcher Hatch, who did not remain here long, but his son 
Rufus Hatch, settled here a few years later, Gershom Bartlett,a 
civil engineer who laid out the first road between Norwich and 
Thetford, and the three Waterman brothers, Elijah, James and 
Daniel. Elijah and James moved away to Bradford but Daniel 
remained, his tenth child was the first white male child brave 
enough to venture to be born in the parish, an event which oc- 
curred July 2, 1768, and whose descendants in the third and fourth 





Mr. M. S. Colburn's Wheelwright and Blacksmith Shop. 




M. S. Colburn, the Village Blacksmith. 




The Deacon Lord Homestead, Erected 1785. 



THK OMPOMPANOOSUC PARISH. / 

generation still inhabit their ancestral estate. James Johnson, 
Calvin TopstifT, Ebenezer Heath, Jasper Storrs, Robert Turner, 
Peter Olcott and John Rogers were all honored names in the early 
annals of the settlement; the last named was the first to build a 
frame house in the parish. 

On the Thetford side were Joel Strong, Burnhams, Ellises, 
and Newcombs, names that are yet borne with honor by the pres- 
ent generation, and others equally worthy, who toiled, and from 
whose toil we have derived comparative ease, with comfort 
and security. 

The oldest house now standing within the bounds of this 
parish is the quaint old colonial mansion erected by Johnathan 
Lord in 1785, which is still in good state of preservation and one 
of the best houses in these parts. 

An Heroic Age. 

The heroism of the first settlers can not now be appreciated 
nor the privations which they endured, during the first long and 
dreary winter, in their rude log cabins, destitute of all modern 
conveniences, with but scant clothing, and an ill supplied larder, 
be adequately pictured. But Providence was there training and 
testing those men and women for the then impending struggle for 
human liberty. By their privations they were hardened to en- 
dure, as witnessed in the late autumn of 1777, when Richard Wal- 
lace, the original settler of what is now known as the Rices Mills 
District, volunteered to Gen. Lincoln, then encamped near Ti- 
conderoga, to carry dispatches across lake Champlain to the 
American forces on the opposite shore, and during a dark and cold 
night, he swam a distance of two miles or more through the hos- 
tile fleet which then guarded the lake with tidings which led them 
on to victory. While he gave proof of his patriotism and of his nerves 
of steel on the battlefield, in the camp and through the flood, 
his wife certainly deserves an equally honored place in the annals 
of fame for her patriotism and courage, first in carrying on their 
desolate farm during the long j^ears of the war, plowing, sowing, 
and reaping it, singlehanded and alone, miles away from the near- 
est neighbors; and in addition thereto serving as the only ac- 
coucheuse to the settlers in need of such service, pursuing her holy 
mission on horse back through the wild. and well nigh trackless 
forests, now bravely facing wintry storms, then shrewdly eluding 
wiley, lurking savages, relying on God and on her rusty old blun- 
derbus, and on the righteousness of her mission. John House 
was another patriot, farmer, trapper and warrior, a native of Han- 
over, N. H.,who farmed and hunted in this parish until his unerr- 
ing rifle had brought him fame and a competency, and when he 
had raised the fifth company of volunteers for the Revolutionary 



8 THE OMPOMPANOOSUC PARISH. 

cause, the Continental Congress recognized his worth and com- 
missioned him a Colonel of Volunteers. When on the 16th of 
October, 1780, the Indians had made their successful raid on 
Roy alt on, this doughty New Boston farmer and his co-patriots 
hastened to the rescue of their imperiled country men and dispelled 
the savages, driving them hurriedly back to Canada. 

Long before the close of the Revolutionary war all the avail- 
able land in the parish had been taken up. By 1771 there were 
206 inhabitants in the town of Norwich; and twenty years later 
the population had increased to 1158. 

Early Religious Differences. 

The early settlers were a religious people, nearly all affiliated 
with the Congregational Church, though there were some Baptists 
among them.Hezekiah Johnson and his brother James in Norwich, 
and Dea. Joel Strong and the Hovey family on the Thetford side 
of the river are known to have been of the latter pursuasion. 

In 1775 the Town of Norwich called the Rev. Lyman Potter 
as their first pastor and the year following they erected their first 
Meeting House near the geographical center of the Town. The 
location of the church was seriously contested by the dwellers in 
the Northern part of the town who were separated from the center 
by a high ridge of hills which formed a natural barrier between the 
two sections. 

The location of the church and of the school house naturally 
had a tendency to create a social center, and here the Vermont 
Legislature held its session June 2-17, 1785. 

The Congregational Church of Thetford was organized in 
1773 and the Rev. Asa Burton was installed as pastor Jan. 19, 
1779. He proved a very worthy and highly respected minister 
of the Gospel and remained in charge of that church until his 
death which occurred in 1836. 

The Ompompanoosuc parish situated on either side of the 
river embraces about an equal part of the towns of Thetford and 
Norwich and separated by natural barriers from its Congrega- 
tional neighbors on either side has the valley with its fertile meadow 
and rich uplands apparently carved out by nature as an independ- 
ent field for social and religious as well as for agriculture and 
trade. 

The swift flowing river offers many excellent mill privileges, 
the central one where the two towns and counties join was early 
selected as a site for a grist mill, which was erected by the Locke 
Brothers prior to 1795, and laterly owned by John Hall, Esq., 
who early in the 19th Century added a saw mill. He also built 
and managed the first tavern in the place, and opened the first 
store in the valley. The village was first named Hallville for 



THE OMPOMPANOOSTJC PARISH. 9 

him and later Union, a name which is still commonly applied by 
the older residents. The name Union Village was given by the 
U. S. Post Office Department when the Post Office was established 
here April 17th, 1830 and Morrill J. Walker, then a young man 
partner in the village store was appointed the first Post Master. 
Stephen Eastman erected and operated the woolen mill 
which gave employment during the busy season to about a half- 
dozen hands; that mill remained until the great flood in 1869 
which swept it with the dam and bridges clean out of existence. 
On a farm within this parish, now owned by Mr. Daniel 
Waterman, is a little cemetery, enclosed by a rude tumble down 
cobble stone wall, containing two graves, that of George Knox 
and his wife Catherine. George Knox was a negro who, for many 
years, had been one of the trusted body servants of George Washing- 
ton \vho,at the close of the Revolutionary war rewarded this faithful 
servant with freedom, gave him a letter of recommendation, and 
advised him to go North and remain there. On his arrival here he 
purchased this farm of about forty acres where he subsequently 
lived, died, and was buried. The tablets bear the following in- 
scriptions. 

In Memory 
of 

George Knox 
who died 

July 28th, 1825 
Aged 92 years. 

In Memory 

of 

Catherine, 

wife of George Knox 

who died 

July 5, 1820. 

Aged 60. 

From death's arrest her soul is free. 

This valley, containing a thrifty hamlet, beautiful for sit- 
uation, and separated from the neighboring parishes, became very 
early the hopeful stamping ground of various ministers of all the 
then existing sects, who saw there an exceptional opportunity 
to gain a foothold for their several religious orders, without serious 
conflict with the established order, or of trespassing on their 
grounds. But aside from the Methodists, the Baptists, are the 
only ones that had any strong hold there, they had a few strong 
adherents, and for a number of years they held more or less regular 
services in the village hall owned by Mr. Walker, the merchant, 
who was not only friendly to them, but their main financial 



10 THE OMPOMPANOOSUC PARISH. 

supporter. To them belongs the honor of having established the 
first Sunday School in the parish, a school which nourished a 
number of years even after the present church edifice was erected. 
It was in this school where the late Rev. Alvah Hovey, D. D., 
President of the Baptist Theological Seminary at Newton, Mass., 
received his early religious training. Who can estimate the vast 
spiritual forces which received their first conscious impulses in 
that dingy loft over the store, which have flowed and will continue 
to flow from that little Sunday School, which is now almost for- 
gotten? 

As already noted there was a lack of harmony, even among 
the earliest settlers, in their religious views. The town records 
of Norwich show a number of dissenters from the established 
church. The earliest record of which is that of John W. Arm- 
strong, Feb. 21, 1803, and among others are Joseph Pattrell, April 
4, 1804; James Waterman, April 19, 1805, and Jarius Bartlett, 
Aug. 7, 1807, with many others. In each instant the record reads 
U I do not agree in religious opinion with the majority of the in- 
habitants of the Town of Norwich. " And the signatures of the 
several protestants are appended to their respective protests. 

The immediate cause of this unrest, is easily traced and readily 
attributed to the several itinerant preachers of various orders who 
more or less regularly visited the settlement. That was a restless 
age Society was in the process of re-making; Church and State 
were being shaken to their very foundations; nothing seemed 
stable every thing appeared to be in a state of transition. The 
very atmosphere appears to have been charged with the bacteria 
of religious as well as political revolutions. The latter had suc- 
cessfully accomplished its immediate object, and most everybody 
recognized that a religious reformation was as sorely needed. 
The old forms of arbitrary doctrines of decrees did no longer fit 
that more enlightened age in its new environment of social and 
political freedom. It was the dawning of an age of reason, im- 
pelled by a universal yearning for spiritual as well as for political 
liberty. The psychological hour for a revival had struck; the 
now is the accepted time was ringing out upon the morning air of 
the new born National era. 

The Advent of Methodism. 

As nearly as can now be reasonably ascertained. Methodism 
was introduced into Norwich by the Rev. Elijah Hedding in the 
Fall of 1804. He was then stationed at Hanover, N. H., and 
travelled the Hanover Circuit, which is said to have been an easy 
one, while he was convalescing from a recent severe illness. It 
was there, while under the stimulating influence of Dartmouth 
College that he begun that systematic self cultivation which in due 




Union Village as Viewed from the Lord Homestead. 




John Waterman. 



THE OMPOMPANOOSUC PARISH. 11 

time gave him fame and fitness to assume the responsible office of 
a bishop in the Methodist Episcopal Church. Thus did this grand 
Congregational institution of learning founded by the British 
Methodist, Lord Dartmouth, touch and inspire American Metho- 
dism. The immediate results of Mr. Hedding's occasional incur- 
sions into the neighboring town of Norwich appear to have been 
destructive rather than constructive, as the records show that a 
number of persons who about that time severed their connections 
with the established church became later active workers in the 
Methodist ranks; and their assertions that they were no longer in 
sympathy, nor could they subscribe to the doctrines then preached 
in the parish church can be attributed only to Mr. Hedding's well 
known sledge hammer blows against the Galvanism of that age. 

In the midst of a snow storm during the fall of that year Mr. 
Hedding forded the Connecticut River near the mouth of the Om- 
pompanoosuc, there he fell in with John Waterman, a congenial spirit 
himself the first pioneer white man brave enough to venture to be 
born in the parish. It was probably at his house where the Methodist 
Circuit rider found a welcome and where he sowed the first seed .. * z ^ 
of Methodism in this fertile valley. At the following session of the ft'*' **-*y'' 
Hedding was appointed to the Barre Circuit and the Rev. 0. 
Beale to the Vershire Circuit. In 1806, Mr. Hedding was appoint- 
ed to the Vershire Circuit which then included the towns of Thet- 
ford and Norwich among its regular appointments. 

The Conference year 1807 found Rev. B. F. Lombard in charge 
of this Circuit, and he was succeded the year following by the Rev. 
Elezer Wells under whose administration there is the first evidence 
of any marked prosperity, and the new sect gained a decided foot- 
hold. Mr. Wells was very popular and ere the Conference year 
expired, May 2d, 1809, he married Miss Olive Bartholomew, the 
daughter of Luther Bartholomew and sister to Noah Bartholomew 
who for long years served as an honored steward in the church of 
Jericho — a little hamlet on the borders of Norwich and Hartford. 
During 1809, the Rev. Joel Steele, a very amiable and godly pastor 
was in charge of the Circuit. He was succeeded by the Rev. N. 
W. Stearns, an aggressive evangelist, under whose two years pas- 
torate a gracious revival was experienced. 

The Church Organized. 

At the session of the New England Cnference held at Barnard, 
Vt., 1811, Elezer Wells was made Presiding Elder of the Vermont 
District, and he apperars to have made Jericho his home during his 
Presiding Eldership. About his first official work as P. E. was the 
filing of a copy of his Certificate of Ordination with the Town 
Clerk of Norwich, and assisted by the Rev. W. Banister, Preacher 
in Charge, of the Vershire Circuit, he immediately proceeded to 



12 THE OMPOMPANOOSUC PARISH. 

organize the First Methodist Episcopal Church of Norwich, with 
the following members. 

Norwich, Class No. 1. John Armstrong, Class Leader, and 
Olive Armstrong, Nathaniel and Betsy Hovey, Cyrus Brewster, 
Tabitha Bissell, Clarisa Slafter, Anderson Minor, Betsy Ball, Isaac 
Hovey and Elizabeth Hovey, Experienee Griswold, Sally Johnson, 
Martha Brewster, Sally Johnson, 2d, Polly Goodrich, Sally Yar- 
rington, John Broughton, Clemina Baxter, Moses Elkins, Amelia 
Waterman, Lyman Culver and Fanny Culver, Susana Waterman, 
Erastus Elkins and Sally Elkins and Ira Broughton. Two of the 
above number, Lyman Culver and Anderson Minor, were for many 
years faithful and efficient Local Preachers on the charge. Three 
members of this Class were later expelled. 

Norwich, Class No. 2. Jason Walker, Leader, who afterwards 
joined the Conference and gave many years of valiant servictothe 
Church, Eleazer Goodrich and Dorothy Goodrich, Mabel Goodrich, 
Annie Crary, Jairus Bartlett, Sabra Shepherd, Mina Hanks, Sarah 
Lord, Elizabeth Gilbert, Eunice Gilbert, Edward Goodrich, Esther 
Johnson, Mary Burnap, Lydia Proctor, Esther Walker, Nathan 
New England Conference held in Lynn, Mass., July, 1805, Mr. 
Whiting and John Goodrich. One member of this Class was af- 
terwards expelled. 

Thetford Class. Jacob Annis, Leader; Abigail Annis, Esther 
Alger, Bethia Briant, Mehitable Rider, Eunice Osmore, Hanah 
Robinson, Eunice Parker, Naby Buzzell, Anna Briant, Silvia Bee- 
man, Sally Gallop, Reuben Hubbard, Nathaniel Stearns, Lavina 
Stearns, Lucy Reynolds, John Reynolds, John Drew, Naby Lane 
and Hannah Kincaide. Out of this Class Nathaniel Stearns be- 
came an honored Local Preacher, and one member was expelled. 
The fact that five persons out of the original membership were ex- 
pelled indicates that those early Methodists were strict disciplina- 
rians. Out of respect to those of the present generation who bear 
similar names, it has seemed best not to repeat the names of the 
expelled parties. 

The First Quartery Conference on the charge of which there 
is any record, was held at Norwich, Oct. 24, 1811. Moses Davis 
was then licensed to preach, and Jason Walker and Calvin Powell 
to exhort. In the Second Quarterly Conference Record for 1811, 
the following charges are credited with their contributions for the 
support of the ministry: Norwich, $6.10; Vershire, $6.07; Corinth, 
$2.02; Washington, 90 cents; Chelsea, $1.50; Sharon, 90 cents; 
Hartford, $4.50 and Bradford, $4.00 in clothing. These charges 
then evidently formed the Vershire Circuit. At the 4th Quarterly 
Conference for the same year which ended June 6th, 1812, Jason 
Walker was licensed to preach, and the following additional credits 
are given the several charges for the support of the ministrv: Nor- 
wich, $4.59; Hartford, $2.57; Vershire, $2.21; Corinth, 55 cents; 



THE OMPOMPANOOSUC PARISH. 13 

Washington, $1.06, Sharon, 72 cents. Thetford, 25 cents. This 
Circuit which then embraced eight or more towns was recognized 
as the best in the state of Vermont. There were at that time only 
six Circuits in the entire State, Athens, Weathersfield, Barnard 
and White River, Vershire, Barre, Danville, and Stanstead, Canada, 
which was attached to the Vermont District, and all embraced in 
the New England Conference. 

The Rev. Erastus Otis served this charge during the Con- 
ference Year 1812, and Rev. Benjamin R. Hoyt during the years 
1813 and 1814. Under the latter's able leadership plans were 
laid for the erection of a church edifice, and a gracious revival 
crowned his two years ministry. The following baptisms are re- 
corded May 14th. Elder Otis baptized Hannah Tucker. Moses El- 
kins, Clemina Baxter, John Broughton, Sarah Yearington and 
Jemima Hanks, and Elder Hoyt baptized Mary Burnap. 

The First Church. 

The new church was probably completed during this pastor- 
ate in the early summer of 1815, and dedicated by his successor, 
Rev. Amasa Taylor and Presiding Elder Joseph A. Merrill. That 
first church was a very modest and unpretentious plain frame 
building clapboarded and shingled, but never painted either out- 
side or within. There was no cellar under it, but it rested on sev- 
eral cobble stone pillars. Internally it was severely plain. The 
seats were simple board benches, on which the people sat, the men 
on the left hand and the women on the right. The only semblance 
of the churchly about the place was the high pulpit in the rear of 
the house, with a plain mourners bench in front of it, which served 
as an altar. That was a house of prayer solemnly dedicated to Al- 
mighty God, and free to all, there were no owned or hired pews 
for the privileged few, but a primitive christian simplicity per- 
vaded the very atmosphere of the place. Persons are still living 
who remember the marvelous outpourings of the Divine Spirit in 
that Holy place, and the sweet seasons of refreshing experienced 
before its rude altar as penitents bowed in sorrow and contrition 
arose and poured forth their peans of praise in the conscious joy 
of a religious experience. 

There Joseph M. Stearns, infant son of the Rev. Na- 
thaniel and Lovina Stearns, Daphana, daughter of Amaziah 
and Susana Bartlett, and Lyclia Ann, and Anna Turner 
Proctor, children of Lydia Proctor, a widow, with many others 
were dedicated to God in the holy ordinance of Christian baptism. 
The following honored pastors successively served that church: 
Jona Worthen in 1816 and Lewis Bates in 1817. The latter bap- 
tized Lydia Bartlett, Anna Hues and Catherine Hues. 

When President Monroe visited this town, July 22d, 1817, Jairus 



14 THE OMPOMPANOOSUC PARISH. 

Bart let t, one of the stewards of this church, was on the reception 
Committee to receive him. Rev. Solmon Winchester served the 
church acceptably during the next two years, 1818-1819. He was 
succeeded by the Rev. Elezer Wells who returned to these scenes of 
his earlier labors in 1820. The baptism of Mahitable Guff is the 
only record of this his second pastorate of this charge where he 
was greatly beloved. The obituary of this saintly pastor is in 
the Vermont Conference Minutes for 1852. He died at Strafford, 
Sunday, April 25th, 1852, and was buried there along-side of his 
faithful and devoted wife who had preceeded him Sept. 1825. He 
was known by his associates as the weeping prophet on account of 
his great tenderness of heart, and the copiousness of his tears as 
he plead with the unconverted. Joel Steele, another highly es- 
teemed former pastor, followed him. Mr Steele had quite a re- 
vival during which he baptized Olive Armstrong, Serena Drew, 
Polly Elkins, Cynthia Goodrich, Fanny Stowell, Thankful Tilden, 
Simeon Goodrich, and Hannah Miller, and on Jan. 11, 1822, the 
entire family of Oliver Cushman, Mrs. Clarissa Cushman, and Al- 
Myra, Polly, Oliver, Marthena, Lovina, Lucy and Anna, their seven 
children, also Phebe Goodrich and Rufus Knapp. Mr. Steele re- 
mained here full two years. He resided at Strafford, where his 
honored son, the Rev. George Steele, D. D., an eminent educator 
and divine, was born. He was succeded by Revs. Joel W. McKee 
and C. D. Cahoon, Circuit preachers and the Rev. Wilbur Fisk as 
P. E. 

The next year saw three preachers on the Circuit, John Lord, 
Joseph B. White and John Foster. Mr. Levi Goodrich, an honored 
layman of this charge, served as Secretary of the Quarterly Con- 
ference during that year. 

In 1825 Norwich again appears as a separate Circuit 
from Vershire, with Joseph B. White as preacher in charge. 
He was followed by Elijah Spear and Horace Spauld- 
ing, during whose administrations the ten resident members at 
Beaver Meadow were organized into a separate church by John W. 
Hardy, then the P. E. At a Quarterly Conference held during 
that summer at Strafford the following members are recorded as 
present. The P. E. and the three Ct. Preachers also Stephen Mor- 
rill, an uncle to the late U. S. Senator Morrill, who as a boy drank 
in the fervour of the early Methodist preachers, and Calvin Wal- 
ker, who represented the Union Village charge, John Hazeltine, 
Zerah Colburn, Elisha Quimby, Jeremiah Baldwin, and Junia Chap- 
man, a very strong body of men, both intellectually and socially. 
Stephen Morrill was elected Recording Secretary, an office which 
he filled with care for a number of years. 

At this Q. C. Zerah Colburn was first licensed to preach, that 
was about two years after his return from Europe where his phe- 
nomenal natural mathematical ability had astonished the learned 



THE OMPOMPANOOSUC PARISH. 15 

men of France and Great Britian. Oct. 14th of the same year a Q. 
C. was held at Norwich at which "The Discipline was read and 
very urgently enforced in many points." The Quarterly Col- 
lections reported amounted to $6.28 out of which the Presiding 
Elder received 50 cents, and the two preachers $2.71 each. 

During 1827, Caleb Dustin and Zerah Colburn served the 
charge as preachers. At the 3d Quarterly Conference for that 
year which was held at Hartford, Calvin Walker and Suel Gleason, 
Guy Beckley and W. Reynolds, local preachers, were present, and 
the two latter were recommended for admission in the Annual 
Conference. A committee consisting of Seth Hall, Suel Gleason 
and Noah Bartholomew was appointed "To superintend the pro- 
ceeding or errecting a house for the preachers, and to estimate the 
preachers table expences and house rent. " That committee evidently 
never proceeded to the erection of any such house. Eliphalet Hunt 
and Maria Pike were baptized during the year by the Rev. Caleb 
Dustin. The total receipts from the circuit for the first three 
quarters of the year was $149.85, of which Norwich is credited 
with $45.50, Strafford, $23.44, Quechee, $23.27, Thetford, $12.51, 
Sharon, $9.58, Colburn neighborhood, $11.44. There were 
certainly no tempting financial inducements held out to young 
men to draw them into the ministry in those days. 

In the spring of 1828 a freshet carried away the bridge and 
gristmill at Gleason's Flat, (Pattersonville). Zerah Colburn was 
succeeded as junior preacher by C. W. Levings while Caleb Dustin 
as senior preacher remained the second year. On May 14th, he 
baptized Betsy Wood of Thetford, and later in the season the Rev. 
Russell H. Spaulding, the then Preacher in charge, baptized Tim- 
othy Tilden and Mrs. Campbell in the Connecticut River near the 
old crossing. He had associated with him as Juinor preachers, 
Peter Bean and Job Dinsmore, the latter was evidently then a 
local preacher as he was recommended to the Annual Conference 
A brother Samuel Elliot was voted "To be licenced to improve in 
public. " 

That year another committee was appointed to procure a 
house for the Circuit preachers. 

The following baptisms are recorded by Peter Dean: — Betsy 
Carpenter, John Wade and Hannah Wade, James Pingree, Ama- 
ziah Carpenter, Jasper Carpenter, Hannah Carpenter, Lydia Shep- 
herd, Ira Moore, and Roxanna Moore, Lucy Freeman, Jacob Mer- 
rill, and John Eastman. Also Harriet Sawyer and Almira A. 
Cushman by the Rev. R. H. Spaulding. 

The Circuit Preachers for 1830 were Joseph I.Cummings and 
Charles Granger, both intellectual men who attracted strong in- 
tellects among whom were Dr. Ira Davis, Calvin Sawyer and Fan- 
nie Sawyer, Theodore Foster, and Mahitable Simonds who were 
added to the church that year. 



16 THE OMPOMPANOOSUC PARISH. 

The year 1831 was one of mingled sadness and joyous experi- 
ences to this charge. The preachers were a trio of fearless and faithful 
men. Henry J. Wooley, with large executive ability, great faith 
and fervent in prayer, James Campbell thoroughly familiar with 
his bible and a voice like the thunder of Sinai when he proclaimed 
the Law, which was his favorite theme. An incident is related of 
him how he spent a night in prayer with Rufus Hatch, who was a 
Universalist until 3 o'clock in the morning when Hatch was glo- 
riously converted. Aurin Gale, young, but polished and refined, 
was the Junior preacher. A gracious revival resulted from their 
untiring labors and the following members were added to the 
church: Thomas Lamphere, Elizabeth Lamphere, Mary Ann 
Lamphere, Euince Waterman, Martha Root, Laura Hall, Margar- 
eth Freeman, Maria Jewell, Joseph Reynolds, Louisa Reynolds, 
Henry Foster, Achsah Bartlett, Ishmael Vincent, Lucy Pierce, 
Mary Burnham, Mary Ann Root, Laura Wilmott, Don B. Pike, 
Fanny Gillett, Humphrey Broughton, Frances Broughton, John 
Broughton, Joseph Wilmott, Temperance Jewell, Angelina Lyman, 
Mary Pattrell and Joel Pattrell. 

A church trial was ordered to try the senior member of the 
church on the charge of drunkenness, the immediate result of 
which was that the accused party was vindicated and Lyman 
Culver, the accuser, a faithful and devoted local preacher had his 
license revoked. But two years later the case was again taken up, 
the first accused was proven guilty, and his wife who had appeared 
in his defence was also found guilty of falsehood and conniving to 
cover up crime. Lyman Culver's license was renewed, and the 
guilty parties were expelled. 

Oct. 22d, Dr. Ira Davis was elected Recording Steward, an 
office which he filled with credit to himself and to the Church for 
a great many years. Dr. Davis was a practising physician, a res- 
ident of Norwich Plain, interested in everything tending to ad- 
vance the interest of the community or of humanity. He was asso- 
ciated for a number of years with the Hon. Aldin Partridge in the 
work of The American Literary, Scientific and Military Academy, 
and a member of the Faculty. He was the chief promoter and 
one of the proprietors of "The White River Advertiser and Ver- 
mont Family Gazette, "the first newspaper printed in that section 
and various other enterprises. 

The Circuit Preachers for the Conference year 1832 were 
Washington Wilcox, C. Liscomb and Amasa Buck. At a Quar- 
terly Conference held in the White Meeting House in Strafford, 
Aug. 3d of that year, C. Liscomb and Enoch H. Ladd were recom- 
mended to the Annual Conference for membership. And another 
name destined to be honored by the local church and community 
here first appears, that of Joel Morris. He was then elected 
Steward. 



THE OMPOMPANOOSUC PARISH. 17 

The preachers appointed for 1833 were Moses Lewis,, James 
Kidder and Zerah Colburn, the latter does not appear to have 
served the church that year, partly by reason of his failing health 
and also because his services as an educator were in larger demand 
than his preaching. His scientific methods were not appreciated 
by the average audience. This was a sore disappointment to him 
as well as to his most intellectual friends. He was not the only 
Methodist minister of that period who suffered for his love of 
knowledge, and consequently went heroically about remedying 
the evil. He graduated at Norwich University in 1836 and served 
some years on the Faculty as Master of Civil Enginery. He died 
in Norwich 1859, age 34 years, 4 months. 

That year the Revs. Amasa Buck and Moses Lewis, who was 
preacher in charge of the circuit, established the Franklin Academy 
at Norwich Plain which was designed as a preparatory school for 
Norwich and Dartmouth Scientific Departments. They carried 
it on amidst many discouragements for three years or more until 
the new Methodist School of similar grade and under official sanc- 
tion of the church was established at Newbury, Vt. 

At a quarterly Conference held in Jericho June 29th, in ad- 
dition to the Circuit Preachers, there were present a Local Elder 
named Allen, Calvin Walker and Lyman Culver, Local Preachers, 
and J. M. Young, an exhorter, also Noah Bartholomew, J. Chap- 
man, Ira Davis and Joel Morris, Stewards; Wm Brockway, Elihu 
Jacqueth and T. N. Pike, Leaders. The Preacher in charge made 
the following report: "At Norwich Meeting House a Bible Class 
of 30 scholars, a Sabbath School with two superintendents, three 
teachers and ten scholars. At Beaver Meadow a Sabbath School 
with one superintendent, four teachers and twenty three scholars, 
also at Norwich Plain and vicinity two schools with two superin- 
tendents, five teachers and twenty-six scholars." That is the 
earliest record of a Sunday School on this Circuit. Joel Morris was 
the first superintendent, an office which he held for nearly forty 
years. The total membership in these Methodist Schools at that 
time was 116. 

One of the members of the church who had previously been 
a steward was expelled on charges of immorality. 

This year there appears the first record of a number of marriages. 
Rufus Hatch, Irena Vincent and Martha Johnson were baptized 
by Moses Lewis in April 1834. 

The following minutes appear in the records for that year. 
"To all whom it may concern. This may certify that 
in the judgment of the Methodist Society in Norwich, Bro. Ira 
Davis is a suitable person to improve in public as an exhorter, 
he is therefore approbated, " signed Moses Lewis, Preacher in 
Charge, Aug. 4, 1834. It is unfortunate that the records fail to 
show whether the honorable physician did improve any because 



18 THE OMPOMPANOOSUC PARISH. 

of the authority imposed upon him. The Rev. Mr. Lewis resided 
at Gleason's Flat during his pastorate here. N. Culver served the 
charge as Junior Preacher during the year 1834. 

A New Church Building. 

The Rev. S. Richardson was appointed to this charge at the 
Conference of 1835 and was reappointed in 1836. His first work 
on the charge appears to have been to institute proceedings against 
one of the members for "Unchristian conduct" which resulted in 
the expulsion of the guilty party. A revival soon followed, in 
which John L. Spaulding, Harvey Quimby, and Judith Quimby r 
Susan Foster, Polly Blanchard, and Mary Ann Whitcomb were 
baptized, and added to the Church. 

The First Meeting House was unfortunately located on the 
Waterman road in what is now Mrs. Jenk's garden away from ever} 7 
center. On the River there were then three flourishing little hamlets 
Gleason's Flat with a saw mill and a gristmill had several houses 
around it, At Buzzell's Bridge there was the axe and gun factory r 
and a short distance above it a woolen mill. On the West branch 
of the river there was a saw mill and at Rice's Mills there was an- 
other quite active center. 

Union Village was situated between these extremes and had 
the largest number of residents, besides a flourishing store, the 
Post Office, and a popular Tavern, therefore the residents there 
naturally claimed the right to have a church located there also. 
The Thetford Center people also felt the need of church accomo- 
dations. They therefore urged that a church to accomodate the 
entire charge ought to be near Buzzell's Bridge, but the residents 
of Norwich on the other hand would not consent to go so far to 
meeting. The discussion over the claims of the several sections 
lasted for a year or more and caused not a little misunderstand- 
ing. 

Finally through the efforts of the faithful pastor a meeting 
was called at Union Village for Jan. 14, 1836. The following 
copy of the minutes of that meeting is important. "At a meeting 
of the inhabitants of Union Village and vicinity at the school house 
in said district for the purpose of taking into consideration the 
propriety of erecting a house for the worship of God; the meeting 
was organized by chosing Stephen Eastman, Moderator, and the 
following persons were chosen to draft a constitution and to pre- 
sent it to the next meeting, viz., Lyman Fitch, Dr. Buckley, A. 
Tyler, Stephen Eastman, James D. Crocker, and Joel Morris." 
These were all members of the Methodist Church except Dr. Buck- 
ley and he was a positive adherent to that faith. The meeting 
adjourned until Jan. 24th, when they again met and the committee 
presented the Constitution, which was adopted seriatim. Only 




W. H. Clogston. 
The Senior Steward of the Church. 




The Village Store. 
Henry E. French, the Postmaster. Mrs. French and Miss Grace Gordon. 



THE OMPOMPANOOSUC PARISH. 19 

the essential Articles of which will here be presented. 

"Whereas the Episcopal Methodists and their friends of 
Union Village and vicinity being destitute of a convenient place 
for the worship of God contemplate erecting a house for that pur- 
pose, and adopt the following Constitition. 

Art. 1. This Society shall be known by the name of the 
Methodist Episcopal Society of Union Village. 

Articles 2 to 10 inclusive simply indicate the several officers 
and their respective duties. 

Art. 11. The pulpit shall be occupied by Methodist Epis- 
copal Ministers of the Gospel. Said house may be occupied by 
other regular ministers of the gospel when unoccupied by the 
Methodists, with consent of the Prudential Committee. 

Art. 14. After the first annual meeting this Constitution 
may be altered or amended once in three years, and no oftener, 
by an article being inserted in the warning for the annual meeting 
to that effect, and the concurrence of two-thirds of the proprietors 
of said house. Provided nevertheless that, if at any time two- 
thirds or more of the proprietors of said house shall so alter the 
Constitution as to give the occupancy of said house to any other 
order of Christians than the Methodists, the proprietors so alter- 
ing shall purchase of the remaining proprietors in said house all 
their rights and interests in said house, if they wish to sell at a 
fair price, to be priced by a disinterested Committee, which the 
parties shall agree upon, and each slip shall be entitled to one vote 
only, be the proprietors more or less. 

Art. 15. We the undersigned promise to pay to the Treas- 
urer of said Society for the number of slips subscribed for by us, 
one half to be paid by the first day of September next, the re- 
mainder by the first day of Januarv, 1837. Stephen Eastman, 
Buckley O*. Tyler. M. J. Walker, Roswell Burnham, Asa B. Clos- 
son, Thomas B. Pike, John Lord, Seth Ellis, Diodate Newcomb, 
Simeon Newcomb,, Levi Newcomb, William Burnham, David 
Wilmott, Joel Morris, William Hutchinson, Isaac Pierce, Valentine 
Wilmott, William Farnham, William Wilson, Orange Fullington, 
Hiram Barrett, Rufus Hatch, Samuel Shepherd, James Water- 
man, Jairus Bartlett, Levi Sanborn, James Blood, Micheal Burn- 
ham, James Blv, Jr., Don B. Pike, Arthemus W. Dodge, Hum- 
phrey Broughton, Otis Gillett, Noah Ellis, Peter Russell, Joseph 
Wilmott, Oliver Cushman, Jr., George Benton, Lyman Pattrell, 
John Hall, Ishmael F. Vincent, John Wright, John M. Kent, Ly- 
man D. Church, Daniel W. Powers, Isaac Senter, James Eastman, 
David Lyman, Jr., Charles Copp, Peter Copp, Sylvanus Sayres 
and Edwin Hibbard. 

The following officers were chosen, Lyman Fitch, President, 
Stephen Eastman, Vice President and Secretary, Morris J. Walker, 



20 THE OMPOMPANOOSUC PARISH. 

Treasurer. In subsequent records Mr. Walker appears as Sec- 
retary, an office which he held 43 years to the end of his life. 

The present brick edifice was built during the summer of 
1836. The bricks were made by Seth Ellis and the mason work was 
done by Dexter Parker. The entire cost of the building was 
$1800.00. On Jan. 17th, 1837, the work was completed and the 
Society met and sold the pews at auction to the highest bidders. 
The names of which are already indicated by their pledges. 

Troublous Times. 

The immediate result of that building enterprise caused much 
sorrow and contention. The Thetforcl people found themselves 
obliged to erect a church for their own accommodation at Thetf ord 
Center. And the Norwich and Beaver Meadow section were also 
obliged to provide for themselyes, as neither of these had been 
permitted to own pews in the new church, a system which the 
most devout portion of the church thoroughly abhored. They 
believed in the more democratic and Methodistic method of free 
pews in a free church. But their earnest entreaties backed by 
their devoted pastor and Presiding Elder were scorned by those 
immediately in charge, mainly because the Treasurer did not 
favor the Methodists. He had been elected as a compromise to 
the non-church-going element. 

Neither the pastor who had toiled so assiduously for that church 
enterprise no? the Presiding Elder were ever permitted to preach 
in the new church at Union Village, and the members of the church 
who had sacrificed so much for the church were not allowed to 
have it dedicated according to the rules of their church. Indeed 
there was a persistent effort made to turn the actual owners out 
of their building. There was a strong Universalist element head- 
ed by the hotel keeper, and a Baptist element headed by the store 
keeper, which together with a time serving element in the church 
caused much trouble and anxiety to the devout element in the 
community, who as usual refused to wrangle over the matter. 

Finally the Congregational people both from Thetford and 
Norwich came to the assistance of their wronged Methodist breth- 
ren and one of their number drove over to Norwich and brought 
the Rev. Zerah Col' mm over to preach the opening sermon on Sun- 
day morning, Feb. 12th. He was then in declining health. His text 
was from 2d Cor. 5th chapter, and 1st verse. "For if our earthly 
house of this tabernacle were dissolved we have a building from 
God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens." 

It is difficult to ascertain when the next service was held in 
the new church, certainly not until the godly pastor who had 
labored so hard for them had been sent to a new field of labor. 
That there was not a little friction is evident from the fact that 



THE OMPOMPANOOSUC PARISH. 21 

at the Quarterly Conference held in the Baptist Meet in -house at 
Beaver Meadow, Jan. 27, it was voted to hold the next Quarterly 
Conference at the old chapel in Norwich, March 25th. April 2d 
the following Trustees were elected for the old meeting house, 
Joseph Wilson, Oliver Cushman, Jr., Jairus Bartlett, Levi Good- 
rich, Timothy Tilden, Joel Morris, Thomas B. Pike, and Joseph 
Wilmott. 

The new Wesley Chapel at Beaver Meadow was dedicated 
Jan. 23d, 1838, by the Rev. G. W. Fairbanks, P. E., and at that 
time a Quarterly Conference was ordered to be held at Union V U- 
lage for the 7th and 8th of April, 1838. By that time the re- 
calcitrant element had evidently been subdued by the tactful 
new pastor, the Rev. D. Wilcox and his assistant, E. Adams. 

The Rev G W. Fairbanks was the newly appointed Presiding 
Elder 1838 and 39. Rev. Richard Bedford were in charge of the 
circuit and witnessed a most sweeping revival the church has ever 
experienced 

Among the first fruit gathered into the church during 1838 
were Samuel Root and B. Penock, and their families. Samuel M. 
Root the son of Samuel relates the following incident, 1 came 
into the barn and found my father on his knees crying 1 asked 
him, father, what is the matter and he answered Child, lam 
praying '" During his two years on this charge Elder Bedford 
baptized 61 persons, 39 of that number were at Sharon, / at 
Hartford, andl5 at Beaver Meadow. 

Elder Jonah Scott whose residence was at Union Village, the 
part of the circuit with which this sketch mainly deals, baptized 
Sally Waterman, Sarah E. Waterman, Wm. Fullmgton Allen 
Waterman, Almira Fullington, Thomas Bond, Hiram Barrett Otis 
Gillett Wm. Moore, Polly Wiley, Lyman Cook, Isaac Pierce Mary 
E Pierce, Zelotas Morse,' Clarissa A. Hall, Fredrick Strong Lyman 
Clark, Emery Clark, Mary Hedges, Rhoda Flood, Archibald Bowen 
Sarah Bowen, Celesta Bond, Ellen Stowell, and Cyrel Pennock, 
and at Norwich Plain Sophia J. Cushman and Anna Morse. 

Most of these converts were the fruit of Campmeetings. One 
was held during the latter part of August at Beaver Meadow, and 
another at Pompanoosuc in what is now Mr. Richard Waterman s 
sugar orchard. In both of these groves, ( Jampmeetmgs were held 
annually for a score or more of years. _ 

Feb 11th, 1840, the following were appointed a Committee 
"To liquidate 'the claims on the old meeting house." Dr. Ira 
Davis T. B. Pike and Rufus Hatch. The appointment for 1840 
reads Sharon and Norwich, N. Culver and J. Scott and for 1841, 
Thetford and Union Village, Richard Bedford and Ira Beard. 

The anti-slavery agitation was then growing and several good 
men were carried on its tidal wave out of the church, among that 



22 THE OMPOMPANOOSUC PARISH. 

number was the Rev. James Campbell who afterwards joined the 
Free Methodist movement. 

In March 1841 Isaac Pierce, Noah Ellis and Joel Morris were 
appointed a Committee "To act with the Stewards for the purpose 
of building a parsonage. " That year the old church was torn 
down and all the available material from it were utilized in the 
erection of the first parsonage, on the plot of land still used for that 
purpose, but on the extreme southerly end of the lot. At a Q. C. 
held June 5th at Beaver Meadow Cornelius Fuller was licensed to 
preach and recommended to the Annual Conference. 

Ira Beard, the Junior preacher was the first occupant of the 
new parsonage. We are indebted to him for a list of church mem- 
bership of this period as follows. 

Union Village, Class No. 1. Stephen Eastman, Leader; Han- 
nah Eastman, Catherine Burnham, Asahel Burnham, Ruth Burn- 
ham, Roswell Burnham and Marinda Burnham, a Probationer, Noah 
Ellis, Nancy Ellis, Sahara Shepherd, Jemima Hanks, Mary Bur- 
nap, Mary Eastman, Stephen Foster, Hannah Campbell, Lydia 
Ferguson, Salome Burnham, Frances Baker, and Lucinda Ches- 
amore, the last two named were probationers. 

Norwich, Class No. 1. Nathaniel Leavit, Leader; Mary S. 
Leavitt, Oliver Cushman, Clarissa Cushman, Polly Cushman, Olive 
Johnson, Julia Johnson and Ruf us Hatch; probationers, Rowana 
Hatch, Levi Goodrich, Mary Goodrich, Betsy Hewes — widow, 
Catherine Miner, Timothy Tilden, Sophia Tilden, Lovina Cush- 
man, Oliver Cushman, Jr., Sophia Cushman, Susan Hovey, 
single, and Betsy Mason, who resided at Hanover. 

Norwich, Class No. 2. Joel Morris, Leader; Mary Leavitt, 
Eunice Waterman, Mary Bartlett, single, Lucretia Bartlett, widow, 
Margareth Freeman, Hanah and Maria Freeman, both single, Su- 
sanna Root, Martha Pattrell, Emely Smalley, Sarah Vrevs, Lydia 
Holt, Mary Ann H. Palmer, Samuel Root, Sarah E. Waterman, 
Martha J. Waterman, Jededia Huntington, s., Stephen Hunting- 
ton, s., Jairus Bartlett, Lydia Bartlett,' Ambrose H. Thayer, 
Joseph Root, prob., Mary Hedges, prob., Harriet H. Crary. 

New Boston Class. Thomas B. Pike, Leader; Mary E. Pike, 
Susan H. Pike, s., Emeline Sawyer, Olive Sweat, Hiram S. Spauld- 
ing, Sophia O. V. Yearington, Don B. Pike, Sarah Ann Pike, 
Barzilla Pennock, Mary Ann Pennock, Sally Mooringham. 

Unfortunately Thetford Class No. 1 Record is missing. 

Thetford, Class No. 2. Joseph Wilmott, Leader; Mary Wil- 
mott, Laura W. Stearns, Lyman Lamphire, Eliza Lamphire. 
Mabel Goodrich, w., Simeon Goodrich, s., Levi Newcomb, Diode- 
ma Newcomb, Jeptha Stevens, Lucinda Stevens, Simeon Newcomb, 
Lois Newcomb, Harry D. Wilmot, an Exhorter, Martha J. Wil- 
mott, Martha Lyman, Angelina Lyman, s., Isaac Pierce, Mary F. 



THE OMPOMPANOOSUC PARISH. 



23 



Pierce, 'Archibald Bowen, prob. ; Sarah Bowen, William Wilson, 
Jr., s., Temperance Jewell, w., and Sarah Cook, prob. 

1842 Revs. Wm. Peck and A. C. Smith served as Circuit 
Preachers, and in 1843 Union Village first appears as an independ- 
ent charge with Abel Heath as Pastor. He was succeeded the 
next year by H. Guernsey, whose administration here was sad- 
dened by the death of his wife, July 29th. She was buried in the 
cemetery immediately in the rear of the church. Among the offi- 
cial members for that year appear the names of George Currier, 
Henry R. Mathews and Phillip Wheeler. 

The Vermont Conference. 

From 1804, the year Methodism was introduced into this 
parish until 1832, the" Methodist churches in Vermont were em- 
braced in the New England Conference. The latter year about all 
the territory now included in the Vermont Conference was made a 
part of the New Hampshire Conference and remained so until 1845, 
when the Vermont Conference was first organized. That year 
Union Milage and Thetford were again united as one charge with 
Copperas Hill apparently under the joint supervision of the pastors 
of this charge and of Beaver Meadow. The membership 
of the charge at that time is given as 210. The salary of the 
pastor was estimated at $270.00. But the actual receipts for the 
year was only $145.00. The average salary in the Vermont Con- 
ference for that year was $256.00. 

Perez Mason was the next preacher on this Circuit 
and under his administration the membership grew up to 
263, the highest point ever reached by the charge. Mr. Mason 
is still pleasantly remembered by the older residents as a 
large, jovial man who was ever ready to assist a panshoner at 
the woodpile or in the hayfield, and who never objected to sitting- 
down to a hearty dinner as he was an acknowledged epicure. He 
was held in very high esteem in the parish. Twins were 
born to him while on this charge. At a Q. C. held that year 
it was voted "That we will keep the subject of furnishing the 
parsonage before us until it is accomplished." Whether this 
resolution was in consequence of the increase of the family, or no, 
we know not. Samuel Swinburne served as Secretary of that Q. C. 
Mr. Mason was succeeded by J. L. Smith, a lame man, but an ex- 
ceptionally fine tenor singer, and devoted pastor. He is remem- 
bered especially as a horse fancier and many anecdotes are still 
current about the Elder's fine horses. Much of his preaching dealt 
with the Restoration of the Jews to Palestine and the Second Ad- 
vent doctrines, all of which he came to greatly regret during later 
years and in his maturer judgment. 



24 THE OMPOMPANOOSUC PARISH. 

The Rev. Peter Merrill was appointed to this charge in 1849. 
He reported a membership of 80 with 6 Probationers at Union 
Village. The membership at Beaver Meadow and Copperas Hill was 
then 78 and 7 probationers. He was succeeded by S. G. Kellogg 
who served the charge two years, and he in turn by Dennis Wells, 
who served during the years of 1852-53. 

At a Q. C. held at Beaver Meadow Feb. 17, 1852. the record 
reads that "Ira Davis, Calvin Sawyer and Noah Bartholomew 
were appointed to the General Convention of the Cuurch to be 
holden at Philadelphia, May 3." This resolution is absolutely 
incomprehensible as the General Conference, if that was meant, 
was held at Boston during May of that year. E. Pettingill 
was the Junior pastor during 1853. 

About this time there appears to have been several eyears of 
decline as by 1854 the membership had dwindled down to 63 with 
11 probationers and only 40 members in the Sunday School. 

June 1, 1854, the Vermont Conference met a Putney and 
Bishop Janes presided. The Rev. R. H. Spaulding was appoint- 
ed to this charge and served one year. During 1855 A. L. Pratt was 
in charge of the parish. The following article appears in the 
record. "Voted to appoint a special committee to solicit sub- 
scriptions and finish the inside of the house and to make it com- 
fortable through the winter. " 1856, E. Pettingill was the pastor 
and in 1857 E. Dickerman reported 66 members and 7 probation- 
ers. The probable value of the Church $1400, and of the parson- 
age, $500. His salary was estimated at $385, receipts $197. 

The Beaver Meadow church had a Mr. H. O. Dockham, a 
spurious local preacher on their hands at this time whom after 
due trial they expelled. Capt. Thomas Howard, a retired sea 
captain was then an active steward in that church. 

The years 1858 and 59, John LeSeur was Preacher in Charge, 
during his first year he reported 60 conversions. There does not 
appear to have been any corresponding increase in the Sunday 
School and at the end of his two years pastorate the net increase 
in the full membership was but 2, but the probationers had in- 
creased to 86. He was very popular and received $429.00 during 
his second year as salary, the highest amount paid to any pastor 
up to that elate. That peculiar character had a very brief but 
brilliant career of but a few years in the ministry and then he was 
expelled to the great sorrow of his many friends. The stately 
elm by the roadside directly in front of the church was planted 
by him and Brother Truman Barrett. His successor was Mulford 
Bullard for one year, and he was followed by Wm. B. Howard in 
1860-61. At the close of his faithful pastorate here the member- 
ship in full connection was 94 with 54 still on probation. The 
great revival of four years previous proved very evanescent and 
unsatisfactory to the church. 



THE OMPOMPANOOSUC PARISH. 25 

The following record appears in the minutes for 1861. 
"Have the Minutes been properly kept?" The answer was. 
"Not for 15 years or more." 

The year 1862 brought Joseph Enwright, an energetic and 
wide awake preacher to the charge. He served this church and 
Thetford successfully for two years. Under his administration 
the church enjoyed a fair degree of prosperity and the church edi- 
fice was thoroughly repaired and painted within and without. E. 
Pettingill, a former pastor followed him and remained during the 
next three years. The Stewards for this period were Daniel Wa- 
terman, who was also Recording Steward, an office which he filled 
a number of years. Hiram Barrett, Secretary, Howard Sayre, 
Lyman Cook, Samuel Root and Joseph Wilmott. 

During the next Conference year, the Rev. H. G. Day was 
Preacher in Charge. He was succeeded by C. S. Buswell 
who served the church faithfully during 1868-69. During his 
pastorate Oscar Pattrell, Alonzo Moore and W. H. Clogsdon were 
added to the Board of Stewards. The last named is still an active 
and honored member of the Broad having served faithfully in 
that and various other offices ever since. Among other positions 
he has filled is that of Sunday School Superintendent for twenty- 
seven years. He has also held many important town offices, and 
has represented the Town in the Legislature. The Sunday School 
at that period averaged 105 in attendance and the one at the Depot 
averaged 25. . 

The year 1869 was a destructive year to the little village, a 
flood swept away the dam and the bridge, together with the 
woolen mill, which had so long served the neighborhood, and 
which was never replaced. 

The Rev. D. H. Bicknell came to this charge in 1870. 1 he 
records indicate that he bent his chief energies to the enlargement 
of the Sundav School as at the end of the year he reported 200 
scholars, which registered the high water mark in the history of 
the School. — 

In 1871 J. S. Little, a former pastor was returned to the charge. 
The outlook must have appeared dark to him, as at the First Q.C. 
he reported "No social Meetings, as the brethren appear to be a 
little discouraged," and "The Spiritual state of the Church is 
low." But nothing daunting he wrought vigorously and as a 
result had a gracious revival and several additions to the church. 
That year Mr. William Roberts was added to the Board of Stew- 
ards an office which he filled during the remainder of his life. A 
committee consisting of O. L. Pattrell, Daniel Waterman and the 
Pastor was appointed to secure subscriptions for a Church Bell. 
F. T. Lovett was the next Preacher in charge during 1872-73. 

1874-6 Joseph Enwright, a greatly beloved former pastor was 
returned to the charge and did effective work. The old parsonage 



26 THE OMPOMPANOOSUC PARISH. 

was completely reconstructed under his supervision. His salary, 
which is usually a fair gauge of a pastor's popularity, was $600.0*0, 
and house rent. A wholesome revival also crowned his effort. 

At the Conference of 1874 the Presiding Elder reported that 
the churches at Jericho and Beaver Meadow had not been occupied 
for years and that they would never again be needed. A. Roberts, 
a devout local preacher and Martin Wallace, a Steward, tried in 
vain to rally the dying remnants at Beaver Meadow, but deaths and 
removals of the young and a most virulent element made their 
efforts futile. 

1877-9 the Rev. L. Dodd was the pastor at Union Village. He 
was an exceptionally good preacher and had probably the largest 
congregations in the history of the church. During his last year 
on the charge the church enjoyed a revival and a number of ad- 
ditions were made to the membership. The organ was then put 
into the church, and the sweet toned bell which still calls the wor- 
shippers to the services was put in the tower, and some money was 
put into the treasury towards needed repairs. A well authenti- 
cated anecdote is still current: The elder was greatly annoyed 
by the sale of liquor in the village. So he painted an old straw 
hat vermilion red, put it on and drove to the P. O., when the crowd 
gathered around and the Post Master asked him why he had his 
hat painted red, he replied, "If you will tell me why these men are 
having their noses painted, I will tell you why I have my hat decor- 
ated. 

The Rev. J. D. Beeman rendered great assistance to this 
as well as to other churches during the past four years as Pre- 
siding Elder of the Springfield District. 

The Rev. C. P. Flanders served the church faithfully during 
the year 1880 and 1881. At the First Q. C. of 1881 it was "Voted 
to pay the minister in the old fashioned way, each pay what they 
please, " which would indicate that he was not popular with the 
Official Board. 

From 1882 to 1884 inclusive, the church enjoyed the minis- 
trations of the Rev. C. H. Walter; during the summer of 1884 the 
church was thoroughly repaired and painted at a cost approxi- 
mating $1000.00. The membership was then 95 with 5 on pro- 
bation. During this period the church enjoyed the efficient min- 
istrations of the Rev. A. L. Cooper as Presiding Elder, an office 
which when filled is a great blessing to the church. Mr. Wal- 
ter was succeeded by the Rev. W. A. Bryant whose ministry cov- 
ered the years 1885-7. The Sunday School showed marked im- 
provement under his wise leadership, numbering again 150. His 
successor was the Rev. S. L. Hedges who wrought faithfully during 
the year 1888. 

The Rev. H. F. Forrest served the church efficiently for four 
consecutive years from 1889-1892 inclusive. He has the honor of 
being the only pastor on this charge to exceed the three years 




The Parsonage. 
The Pastor and wife, daughter-in-law. ami son, Benjamin, July, 1S04. 




Rev. Emanuel Charlton, Ph. D. 




Mrs. Belle M. Charlton. 



THE OMPOMPANOOSUC PARISH. 27 

limit. Under his administration the church enjoyed a healthy 
revival, which added several of the present members to the church. 
He was followed by the Rev. J. W. Naramore during the Confer- 
ence year 1893. 

The Rev. W. A. Evans had a successful pastorate here during 
1S94-5 under his pastoral care a gracious revival was experienced, 
mainly at the New Boston school house. The Rev. J. E. Badger 
was the minister here during 1896-7. H. C. Millington was appoint- 
ed as his successor but failed to take up the work here. In June 
H. T. Robinson, a Boston University student came and supplied 
the pulpit during the remainder of the conference year 1898. The 
Rev. Guy Lawton followed him in 1889 and served the church 
faithfully for one year. The most important event of his pastorate 
was the destruction of the old parsonage by fire and the erection 
of a new and modern cottage in its stead. The Rev. W. N. Rob- 
erts toiled and tilled this field faithfully during the years 1900-1. 
He was succeeded by the Rev. J. D. Beeman who, when in his 
prime was recoginzed as one of the ablest preachers of the Vermont 
Conference. He wrought heroically for a year and a half, until the 
kind Father bade him lay down his armour and enter into rest. 

On Sunday morning he was in his usual health and preached 
with vigour and unction; but when evening came he was obliged to 
retire from the field. And the following Friday, Sept. 18th, he 
was not, for God had taken him home. He was the first pastor 
to fall at his post in this parish. 

Emanuel C. Charlton, who had been temporarily laid aside from 
active work came here Oct. 10th, to recuperate his exhausted nervous 
force and in the meantime to supply the pulpit during fall and winter, 
he was invited to remain and served until the end of the next 
Conference year 1905. During his pastorate the Church was ren- 
ovated and painted within and without and re-carpeted, at an 
expense approximating $500.00. Two new Sunday Schools were or- 
ganized, one at New Boston and the other at Pompa which 
brought an addition of about 70 new scholars to the charge. The 
three Schools numbering a total membership of 166, inclusive of 
officers, teachers and a Home Department. A threatening cloud 
had long hovered over the church horizon, which broke during the 
summer of 1904 and in breaking caused the breaking up of a fam- 
ily and of one of the Stewards of the Church to withdraw from the 
membership of the Church. The pastor's salary during the last 
year was $725.00, including house rent but exclusive of many 
valuable tokens of friendship. He also served as superintendent 
•of public schools and planned systematic courses of study in all the 
schools. The parsonage grounds were improved by walks, flower 
beds, hedges and several shade trees in the front yard. The Rev. 
W. E. Lang succeeded him in April 1905. The Rev. W. M. New- 
ton is the present Presiding Elder. 



28 THE OMPOMPANOOSUC PARISH. 

The Church of Today. 

The following persons were members of the Church at the 
close of the Conference year, April 1905. Truman Barrett and 
Alma his wife, Mr. Barrett is one of the honored Stewards of the 
Church, himself the son of an honored Steward. Day T. 
Barrett and ClossonH. Barrett are their sons. James E. Barrett, 
a Thetford miller and Sarah E., his wife and son John E., and Ber- 
tha, his wife. Miss Addie A. Bartlett and her niece, Miss Minnie 
Bartlett, an accomplished school teacher. Mrs. Sarah E. Benton, 
widow of the late George Worcester Benton. Miss Eva M. Benson, 
a qualified teacher, Jesse W. Bradley and wife Celia Campbell 
Bradley are sturdy and respected farmers. Mrs. Marcia Camp- 
bell is the mother of Mrs. Bradley. Sarah J. Broughton, a non- 
resident, Oramel F. Chamberlain and Olive M., his wife, are resi- 
dents of Thetford and descendants of the first settler there. Mrs. 
Lona Carpenter is the daughter of the Church treasurer, Mrs. 
Mary S. Colburn, a widow in her 90th year, the oldest living mem- 
ber, is tenderly cared for by devoted children and grand children. 
Dana B. Cloud, a stirring young farmer at New Boston and Mrs. 
Lilla C. Cloud, his mother. Emma E. Cloud and Villa E., her adopt- 
ed daughter. William Clough and Freda his wife. Lyman W. 
Cook and Mabel his wife, Mr. Cook is an industrious young farmer, 
the faithful Superintendent of the Village Sunday School and 
an highly respected Steward in the Church. W. H. Clogston, the 
senior Steward and Ellen his wife. Sophia Cushman, a widow 
84 years of age, a godly pilgrim whom it is a benediction to meet. 
Allen S. Charlton and Idella M., his wife are students and pros- 
pective farmers ;he is President of the Epworth League and Superin- 
tendent of the New Boston Sunday School. James Scott Eastman, 
the devoted Superintendent of the Pompanoosuc Sunday school, 
grandson of the first Class Leader in the new church ; his sonLin- 
wood and wife Lillian Clogsdon Eastman. Miss Grace B.Ellis, an 
accomplished teacher, Eber M. Fullington, a faithful Steward, the 
church treasurer and proprietor of the Cottage Inn, the present 
village tavern, Sarah J. Fullington, his wife. Miss Harriet N. 
Gleason, a refined spinster. John H. Goddard the respected 
grandson of an honored Congregational pastor of Norwich Center, 
Ida E. Goddard, his wife, Miss Nina E. Goulett, a non-resident. 
Charles H. Haskell, for several years an honored Steward, recently 
removed to Wilder, Lizzie, his wife, and Nancy, his widowed 
mother. Mrs. Hattie I vers, Mrs. Anna Jackman, Mrs. Mary E. 
Judd of Thetford, Miss Lucinda A. Kenney, and Miss Ethel M. 
Kenney, an efficient teacher, are all highly respected members. 
Mrs. Betsy King, and her daughter Mabel, are non-residents. 
Fred Moore and Stella, his wife, reside at Norwich Depot, Jeanette 
Morse and Mrs. Sarah Lucinda Nott, Mrs. Maud Cloud Nicholson 



THE OMPOMPANOOSUC PARISH. 29 

and Mrs. Meribah Newcomb are highly esteemed in the church. 
George H. Pattrell of Huegenot ancestry, a faithful Steward and 
persistent choir leader, a liberal supporter of every good cause. 
Jennie E. (Hatch) his wife, is the efficient President of the Ladies 
Aid Society, and a former Superintendent of the Sunday School. 
Ernest and Avis are their children. Mrs. Melissa Pennock, non- 
resident, Miss Jessie Isabel Pierce, an industrious teacher, Mary 
A. Robinson and Eliza A. Roberts are respected widows. Luther 
W. Roberts is one of the trusted and tried Stewards of the Church, 
having taken up the work when his honored father laid it down. 
Lucy A., his wife, and Mrs. Mabel Johnson, their daughter. Al- 
fred Rogers and Ellen Rogers, his wife, are industrious farmers. 
Samuel Merrick Root and wife, John M. Root and Frank Root, 
three honest God-fearing and industrious brothers, and their 
sister, Miss Nancy Root, are of honest Puritan stock and sterling 
characters, Percy Root, the son of John M. and Sylvia, A., his 
wife. Mrs. Kate Ruggles, one of the faithful workers in the 
church. Charles F. Sawyer and Leonard E. Sargent, young men 
of promise, the latter a non-resident. Lizzie Smith and her daugh- 
ter Nora live at Rice's Mills. Jason Simonds, a Steward, greatly 
beloved, and Flete, his wife. George H. Stickney, a thriving con- 
servative farmer is one of the reliable Stewards, Hattie L. Kenney, 
his wife, and Miss Elsie, their daughter. Mrs. Percy A. Taylor, a 
devout widow. A. V. Turner, the efficient janitor, one of the Stew- 
ards, Ellen E., his wife, and Miss Sfa Turner, his accomplished 
daughter. Daniel Waterman, one of the faithful Stewards of 
a former generation, a "Forty-niner", having rounded The Horn 
in quest of gold, and Roxanna, his wife. Mrs. Cora Waterman, 
one of the elect ladies of the Church, and her daughter, Mrs. An- 
gie M. Wilmott. Henry Young and Lottie, his wife, are non-res- 
idents. 

The membership of the Church, an even 100, as a whole is 
respected by the community. Nearly all the heads of families 
maintain family altars. One often wonders and would almost 
like to listen to the eaves droppings what some of these venerable 
heads of families are praying for, the Church they dearly love, but 
even more so for the children that have gone out from these homes 
into the great world to toil in its wider fields, to make new clear- 
ings in its wilds, or to wrestle in its games, leaving the old folks 
at home to live over again in memory the former days when those 
children's cries and laughters, tears and songs, sports and mischiefs 
divided their attention with their toils and cares. Blessings upon 
you! you venerable fathers and mothers. 

The greatest present need of the parish is babies, real live 
human babies . The net product of babies during the past year and 
a half in the entire parish embracing more than one hundred and 
thirty families was but a mere half dozen, less than one baby to 



30 THE OMPOMPANOOSUC PARISH. 

every twentieth household. The public schools are languishing 
for the want of children. The homes of former generations are 
passing. Only desolate cellar holes now remain where formerly 
stood more than half the happy human dwellings in the parish. 
The Sunday School has well nigh ceased to be the joyous Sabbath 
Home of children but the Sunday School board alert to existing 
conditions has a regularly appointed teacher for babies yet un- 
born. That devoted teacher like as a hen clucking for her wan- 
dering chicks that she might gather them under her wings patient- 
ly watches and waits for pupils that may never be born. Such 
heroic patience must surely find its reward in some fairer world 
valley than this. 

The Present Parish. 

The Parish still has many well tilled and fertile farms with an 
abundance of rich pasture lands where goodly herds of sleek cattle 
are grazing during the summer season. The best paying product 
of the farms at present appears to be the dairy products. A well 
equipped creamery at Pattersonville takes care of all the cream 
that the farmers can produce and returns a fair profit to its pa- 
trons. 

The high prices of lumber and of cord wood within recent 
years have been the resistless motive for the almost wanton de- 
nudations of the hillsides of their once magnificent forests. But 
the immediate financial returns have added materially to the com- 
forts of the homes and to the general prosperity of the community. 
Destitution and want are at present absolutely unknown within 
the bounds of the parish. On the other hand there is no onewho is 
considered rich, or specially looked up to because of his earthly 
possessions. They are an industrious community who by their 
own or their fathers honest toils and frugality have come to en- 
joy life's comforts and to appreciately sample a few of its modern 
luxuries. They are an intelligent and hospitable people whom it 
is a pleasure to know and to dwell with. 

Among some of the most prominent people of the parish at 
present, are Henry E. French, the Post Master and owner of the 
village store where all the necessaries of life can be had at reason- 
able prices. Joseph French, his nephew, is the affable clerk of 
the establishment. 

J. E. Blaisdell, a retired merchant with a competency, is a 
kind hearted generous soul, doing much good in his own way. My- 
ron S. Colburn is the genial, musical village blacksmith and wagon 
builder, a Grand Army veteran. His daughter Mary has the dis- 
tinction of being the only college bred representative of her sex in 
the Parish. 

Ed. Carpenter is in possession of one of the best centrally 
located farms in the valley. 



THE OMPOMPANOOSUC PARISH. 31 

Luman Ellis and Henry Pennock, sons of noble sires, are un- 
polished diamonds and thrifty farmers, their wives are crown jewels 
in the parish, each ready to do anybody a good turn. 

On the road toward the depot is Joseph B. Cloud, the vener- 
erable head of the several families bearing his good name and J. H. 
Cloud a son. Calvin Seaver of original Puritan stock is an highly 
esteemed friend of the writer, a respected citizen and a solid farmer. 

On the road leading to Norwich lives Mills Lord, a direct des- 
cendant of the first Lord of the Parish. Fred A. Ruggles, is one of 
the most intelligent and forehanded of citizens, a thorough farmer 
and an ever ready friend in need. Wayne Johnson is an honorable 
representative of one of the pioneer settlers who in his old age looks 
complacently upon the three generations that are following him. The 
three Goodriches of the original Goodrich stock occupy the pa- 
rental and neighboring estates. 

R. Appleton Tilden, inherited the Lilly Pond Farm, which is 
probably the most extensive as well as the most remunerative 
farm in the Parish, the respect in which he is held by his fellow 
citizens is evidenced by the various political offices to which he 
has been repeatedly elected. He is the present Representative 
to the Vermont Legislature. 

Truman Waterman is very appropriately named, he is every 
inch a true man and his helpmeet is as true a woman. Julius, his 
brother, by his economic tactics and financial generalship has 
evinced some of the qualities of a Ceasar. Fitz Waterman is 
another respected branch of the original Waterman stock. Eu- 
gene F. Wilmot, a worthy scion of good old stock resides on the 
same road near the bridge. S. C. Campbell occupies the original 
settlement in the Parish. James Campbell, his father, entirely 
consecrated to his farm and to his home, is the respected grand- 
son of an honored pastor of the church. Myron Pierce, the indus- 
trious son of worthy parents, a trusted and tried Town officer. 
Nelson Bartlett is an intelligent, conservative, and always reliable 
citizen, a safe counsellor. 

Leslie Spencer Patterson, the maker and owner of Patterson- 
ville, is a native of the upper end of the valley, who drifted down 
the stream to his present place of business about thirty-three years 
ago, where he bought a ricketty, tumble down old saw mill which 
his industry and skill converted, and reconstructed into the present 
up to date mill which saws annually 1,000,000 feet of lumber, 
much of which is converted into a variety of chairs in his commo- 
dious Chair Factory employing on an average 40 hands. Mr. 
Leslie M., his courteous son is the successful manager of their 
large and attractive store. 

Mr. Richard Waterman is one of the best known of the older 
citizens of Pompanoosuc. Hiram Sargent is a respected farmer 
on the road to Thetford Hill. 



32 THE OMPOMPANOOSUC PARISH. 

Returning to Union Village there is Mr. Daniels, the Civil 
War Veteran, and Dr. W. A. Gustin, the Parish physician, the son 
and grandson of physicians. Mr. Will Johnson, the butcher and 
meat dealer, and his brother George, the miller. Nearly two miles 
up the stage road lives Mr. Wilbur Clark, a thriving farmer, with 
his three industrious sons, each occupying neighboring farms. 
Overlooking the River road are Will Parker, an industrious farmer, 
and Mr. Homer Martin, a great hearted though but one armed 
farmer on one of the sightliest and best kept farms in the neigh- 
borhood. 

On the corner beyond is the Sargent Homestead owned and 
successfully operated by Prof. Will Sargent, a Dartmouth grad- 
uate and a respected Massachusetts educator, just beyond him 
lives James Cook, the genial story teller. 

On the New Boston road are Mr. Clough, Will Robinson, and 
uncle Phineas Sargent, three respected farmer citizens. Beyond 
is Mr. Edwin Illsley, the great producer of maple sugar and the 
honored father of several fair and accomplished daughters, the 
best of all Vermont's products. Bartlett Sargent is an intellectual 
farmer worthy of equal honors with his last named neighbor. He 
has honored his native Town in all the various offices he has held 
including that of representative to the Legislature. John Cloud 
is respected and honored for his industry and probity. Leland 
Sargent, Seymour Sargent, Frank Sargent and Urban Waterman 
are young but progressive New Boston farmers. Mr. Orson Sar- 
gent is one of the solid farmers of Norwich. 

And there are many other equally worthy names which brev- 
ity compels one to omit. The Rev. Urban Sargent, an honored 
son of the Parish, a graduate of Dartmouth, a member of the Phil- 
adelphia Conference is, as far as known to the writer, the only 
living representative of the Parish in the ministry. 

And what shall be said of W. H. Davis, the Town treasurer of 
Thetford, he is in the Parish and indispensable to the Parish, yet 
not of the Parish. And Ed. Newcomb, a Methodistic Orthodox 
farmer who, while toiling in the valley, prefers to worship on the 
hill top. And Mrs. Pierce, farmer, and dressmaker who, happy in 
her new found mother faith, that all is good, and that ills are only 
delusions. And since all is good there can be no ill delusions, an 
excellent neighbor. Mrs. Harriet Wilmot is the village Madonna of 
the wash tub, the critical Bible student and the floral artist for 
special Church occasions. 

Good men and noble women, most of them direct descendants 
of the original settlers, are the stable human stock of the parish. 

The public schools are fairly well maintained. A competent 
and industrious corps of teachers are doing faithful service in the 
four schools within the bounds of the parish. The Union Village 
school had 14 pupils, the Pompa school, 23, the New Boston school 



THE OMPOMPANOOSUC PARISH. 33 

11, and the Rice's Mills school, which is properly within our bor- 
ders had 8 scholars at the end of the school year, March 1905. A 
total of only 56 scholars of all ages. 

Thetford Academy has four additional scholars from this 
parish. This excellent institution situated at Thetford, organized 
and fostered largely by the Orthodox Church at Thetford has long- 
been a blessing to the surrounding country, and its beneficent in- 
fluence is felt throughout the Parish. 

Dartmouth College is about seven miles to the South of the 
center of the Parish. As it stimulated the first preacher to this 
parish so it has continued to stimulate and fit several of the sons 
of the Parish for hgih and responsible positions in life. 

The business and social center of the Parish is the village 
grocery. There the men gather in groups to discuss all important 
topics. And nothing is settled until after it has been thoroughly 
canvassed on this popular forum. There business is transacted, 
love affairs aired and war is declared on any and all who do not 
recognize its mandates. There the wise men and the otherwise 
meet to listen to the Parish orator who in his early youth ex- 
hausted the mine of learning at the neighboring Academy, which 
wealth he later expended for the benefit of the state in the Legis- 
lature. His mercantile experiences added much to his profound 
wisdom and absolute knowledge of matters that are not so. His 
oratory is greatly admired by himself and appreciated by the 
quaint habitues of the place. Only second in importance is that 
noted trapper who has trapped in the Dakotas and hunted in 
the Carolines and who can tell the biggest fox story of any in the 
crowd. Next to him is the veteran who fought in the Wilderness, 
who suffered and bled at Antietam, and who is still telling the won- 
derful story for the edification of the rising generation. There are 
several other noted story tellers who take pleasure in repeating 
their own stories o'er and o'er like sailors at sea spinning their 
yarns, or the Arabian in his desert tent, telling wonderful tales. 
Humanity is after all one great brotherhood, this is only one evi- 
dence of the relationship. 

Among the staple stories which fathers are likely to hand down 
to their sons is one about the Guardian Angel of the parsonage 
dung hill whose one oration and warning to his unsophisticated 
pastor will surely entitle him to a niche in that temple of fame. 

Another story is about a certain sinner whose besetting sin is 
"The Grippe" which he orders at will, and has it come in sealed 
packages. It is said to have the real grippe symptoms while it 
lasts, except that it has never proved contagious. The biggest 
sinner in the parish is also the freest hearted philantropist, a 
strange paradox. 



34 THE OMPOMPANOOSUC PARISH. 

The Outlook. 

What of the future of this rural parish? With the exception 
of Pattersonville, which appears destined to grow as a manufac- 
turing" center, there is no immediate prospect of any village im- 
provement. But there ought to be a healthy revival of farming. 
It is at least safe to predict that the price of abandoned farms has 
reached its lowest point. One of the most potent factors in the 
predicted revival is the Telephone, which is gradually and rapidly 
taking possession even of the most remote farm houses on the bleak- 
est hill tops, putting these in touch with every other farm, with 
the village physician, and the Post Office, and with the large vil- 
lages and remote towns and cities, even with the whole wide world, 
thus eliminating loneliness and putting an end to isolation. 

It must of necessity enhance the value of this class of real 
estate, especially to city people for summer residences, and ulti- 
mately for practical farming. 

The superb summers amidst these varied scenes of hills and 
dales, of uplands and meadows, of mountains and of valleys, of 
swift-flowing river and of rippling, dancing mountain streams, in 
a d*ry atmosphere with gentle alternations of summer heat and 
of invigorating mountain breezes, within three or four hours ride 
of nearly two score large manufacturing and mercantile cities, 
cannot long remain hidden from the seekers of genuine intellectual 
and social homelike retreats. The many waste places in these 
present wilds are not only to be restored but are soon to be im- 
mensely improved. 

But winter in Vermont, which is so dreaded by strangers has 
to the writer much greater charm than its acknowledged beauti- 
ful summers, while the summers are refreshing, the pure dry at- 
mosphere during the winter, owing largely to its high altitude, are 
still more salubrious and invigorating. Only criminals are guilty 
of suffering from pulmonary diseases amidst such invironments. 
But violaters of the plainest natural laws anywhere must suffer 
the consequences of their temerity. 

Winter in Vermont! Who can adequately describe it? It is 
more than the fitting complement of its fragrant summers. It is 
summer and autumn, seed time and harvest, conserved and re- 
fined. While nature rests under her snow white mantle, the Green 
Mountains, not naked and barren like wild savages, but clothed 
from base to summit in their stout and varied evergreens mingled 
with a variety of birches, ashes and symmetrical maples, an evi- 
dence of their high state of culture and refinement, rearing their 
majestic heads high into the Father's clear sky and smiling face, 
arc dispensing their own enchanting scenery together with phy- 
sical vigour and intellectual strength to an intelligent and ap- 
preciative people that dwell securely and happily in their own 



THE OMPOMPANOOSUC PARISH. '■>') 

peaceful homes. Twilight and evening shades around such (ire- 
sides and amidst such environments awaits home loving content- 
ed families, perusing current literature, enjoying the very latest 
world message over the phone in homes where love dwells and there 
are many such homes in the Ompompanoosuc Parish. 



» 









MM 28 W06 



xriH 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 

■■■. 

1 013 787 2365J 



